Dozens dead and missing as 'historic rains' and floods hit Japan

Tokyo: Torrents of rainfall and flooding battered a widespread area in western and central Japan on Saturday, leaving at least 11 people dead and more than 45 missing.

Residential buildings are damaged by a landslide in Sakacho, Hiroshima.

Public broadcaster NHK said more than 1.6 million people were evacuated from their homes. Almost 50,000 rescue workers were responding to landslides, emergencies.

Japan's Meteorological Agency issued special weather warnings across four prefectures in the west of Honshu main island, urging vigilance against landslides, rising rivers and strong wind amid what it called "historic" rains.

The agency said that, although a weather front had settled between western and eastern Japan, there was a risk that heavy rains would continue as warm air flowed towards the front. Areas already saturated faced more rain on Sunday, it said.

Read the story by Thomas Wilson from The Age - “Dozens dead and missing as 'historic rains' and floods hit Japan.”

Cattle on the move as graziers give up on wet season in drought-stricken Queensland

There is an exodus of cattle leaving drought-stricken parts of western Queensland as graziers give up on seeing a wet season, two months before the rains are usually due to finish.

Mr Elliott waters his horses at sunset while out on the road, north of Winton.

Richard Simpson, 55, a stock agent in Longreach with 30 years' experience in the region, describes his client base as mature — with one grazier aged in his mid-80s.

Mr Simpson said neither of them had seen the region facing a total destocking of sheep and cattle as it was now.

"This region will be destocked ... I reckon you can put a zero on it — probably the worst you want to see," Mr Simpson said.

He predicted if there was no rain by the end of the summer, all cattle in the region would have been moved out and sheep would follow in the winter.

Read the ABC News story by Nicole Bond - “Cattle on the move as graziers give up on wet season in drought-stricken Queensland.”

Our PM is not sure whether he is coming or going, arriving or leaving

Canadian PM, Stephen Harper.

Tony Abbott has endlessly agitated to “Stop the Boats” arriving and if he persists with efforts to underestimate the implications of climate change, he will certainly have to stop the boats, but from leaving!

Australia’s PM claims he believes in human-induced climate change, but acts and behaves as if the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced is little more than another commodity that can be bought and sold on the market – it’s not.

Australia is already something a foot-dragger among the world’s developed nation and now Mr Abbott has been courting other nations to join him, and of course Australia, as a block of five nations that would undermine world-wide efforts to install carbon pricing and challenge a push by US President Barack Obama for stronger international regulation of climate change.

A recent story in the Sydney Morning Herald headed: “Britain,New Zealand reject Tony Abbott’s idea for alliance to block action on climatechange” explains his only ally is the Canadian anti-carbon tax prime minister and fellow neo-liberal sycophant, Stephen Harper.